Life, one day at a time

Tag Archives: Indonesia

Friday 29th November 2019, 11.30am (day 3,018)

The last picture from my week in Indonesia, and the fourth one to be taken in the grounds of the Kayu Arum hotel, this time by the swimming pool. Yes, it would be nice if the blue line at the top were parallel with the rest, but hey. This blog is not a commercial venture so any endorsement I offer of a place or company is purely based on my own opinions — and this was a damn fine hotel, peaceful (once the weekend family groups had departed, anyway: and the early morning call to prayer was done), beautiful gardens, good food, etc. etc. If you’re in Salatiga I highly recommend it. Indeed I recommend the place as a whole; I haven’t had face-to-face engagement with a non-Indonesian all week, and feel my life has been better for it. Time to head home, however. Until the next trip.

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Thursday 28th November 2019, 1.30pm (day 3,017)

My last full day here: my journey home starts tomorrow. Finally, a chance to get out into the Indonesian landscape (at least, photographically) with a trip to Candi Gedong Songo, or “Nine Temples Park”, a very beautiful slice of woodland way up in the hills. Although whoever named the place wasn’t very good at counting, as we followed the paths faithfully yet definitely only found five temples. Nevertheless they were very attractive, Hindu shrines from way back.

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Wednesday 27th November 2019, 12.10pm (day 3,016)

Yes, I know, that makes two insects in a row. But despite visiting the temple of Borobudur today (impressive…) and an Indonesian football match (esoteric…) — I can’t avoid using this one. How often does one capture a butterfly not only in flight, but in focus. I’m rather proud of this picture.

Incidentally this is taken at least 5,000 feet (1,600m or so) above sea level, at the Ketep Pass, east of Borobudur.

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Tuesday 26th November 2019, 8.20am (day 3,015)

Was determined to get a picture for today that wasn’t one I could have taken at home, or indeed just about anywhere else in the world. And, for sure, we don’t get critters like this in England. I woke up yesterday having been covered in bites from some man-eating insect or other while I slept: it won’t have been this one, but looking at those mandibles, I’m thankful for small mercies, at least.

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Monday 25th November 2019, 9.20am (day 3,014)

A trip away to Indonesia might seem to offer a wealth of photo opportunities, but it’s a work trip — and the more that I do this kind of thing the more I realise that universities look much the same the world over. A Monday morning class, a decent turnout — but no one ever breaks the golden rule: Thou Shalt Not Sit In The Front Row.

Sunday 24th November 2019, 4.45pm (day 3,013)

Today, Monday and Tuesday are going to be the work days on this trip — today, to get ready for the other two. I needed a rest after the journey, anyway. Little to see, therefore: it was either the inside of a restaurant, or the pleasant balcony outside my room where I spent the afternoon hacking away on the laptop. There is, of course, more to see of Indonesia than this, but you’ll have to bear with me.

Why the monochrome? As is often the case — to hide coloured blotches caused by lens flare. It works, too. In the original. most of the top right quadrant is stained red.

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Saturday 23rd November 2019, 9.00pm (day 3,012)

After 22 hours of travelling via three tin pipes of varying quality (Manchester – Doha, Doha – Jakarta, Jakarta – Semarang) and then a car ride, I could finally crash in my accommodation for the next few days. This being the mostly very pleasant Kayu Arum hotel in Salatiga, which is in the centre of Java, and which you’ll be seeing more of. Its lush grounds, festooned with palms and shady spots, made me feel instantly at home. Or perhaps it was the red telephone box, which stands there for no immediately obvious reason. Put it this way, there isn’t a telephone in it.

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Friday 22nd November 2019, 1.20pm (day 3,011)

I’m off on another one of my work trips, and from this post it must be fairly obvious where — indeed, I post this from Jakarta airport on Saturday afternoon local time, although my journey isn’t over yet. (Saturday’s post might end up being from my stopover in Doha, anyway.) I thought I would post this shot because of the pleasingly large numbers on the banknotes: there are 1.3 million rupiah here. Not that that means I will be living it up — the cup of tea I have just bought cost me 23,000.